Maths City

City Square is a central, paved plaza in the north of Leeds, set at the intersection of several major streets and directly in front of the train station. The history of the site dates back to the late 19th century, when the area in front of the station was redesigned. After older buildings were demolished, the city's main post office was built in 1896 to create an impressive public space. The name City Square was chosen because Leeds was granted city status that year. The square was originally planned to be fairly functional, with waiting shelters and restrooms, but the mayor at the time had it laid out in the style of an Italian piazza, with statues and trees, to underscore the city's new urban character. The square was damaged in air raids during World War II, and in the 1960s the demolition of historic buildings changed its appearance considerably. A comprehensive renovation in 2003 partially closed the square to traffic and rearranged the plantings and statues.

The heart of the square is a series of larger-than-life bronze statues commemorating Leeds' elevation to city status. The best-known figure is the equestrian statue of Edward, the Black Prince, created by the sculptor Thomas Brock. Although the prince had no direct connection to Leeds, the choice was hotly debated. The monument was cast in Belgium and shipped to Leeds. Other monuments honor figures such as the engineer James Watt, the local cloth merchant John Harrison, the clergyman Dr. Walter Hook, and the chemist Joseph Priestley, who lived in Leeds and continued his experiments there. A particularly controversial group is made up of eight nude female figures, known as nymphs, which serve as lamp holders. They were originally arranged in a circle but were later rearranged into a semicircular row after plans to remove them entirely fell through.

Architecturally, the neoclassical main post office dominates the northwest side of the square. The building, made of light-colored stone, has a central clock tower and is decorated with figurative carvings symbolizing themes such as reading, writing, and philosophy. The square is surrounded by other striking buildings, including the Queens Hotel, Mill Hill Chapel, and the modern high-rise No. 1 City Square. On the southwest side stands the former Majestic Cinema, a listed terracotta building, while the southeast side is home to the Park Plaza Hotel and the historic Yorkshire Bank building with its distinctive copper dome. City Square is also the official starting point of the White Rose Way, a long-distance walking trail that stretches 167 kilometers (104 miles) to Scarborough.